The International Network
for Sustainable Energy

Rio+20, United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD)

The Rio+20 is a 20th aniversary conference of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) also known as Earth Summit in 1992.
INFORSE was formed at the NGO Global Forum parallel to the UNCED Conference in 1992 and since then the network participated in several followup conferences.

The UNCED was a momentous event for the environment. Three agreements were met: Agenda 21 (sustainable development), the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of Forest Principles. Importantly, it calls on States to not delay climate mitigation strategies in light of scientific uncertainty because of the threat of irreversible damage.

INFORSE submited opinion on Rio+20 NGO Consultation.
INFORSE's opinion on Rio+20, 1.11.2011: (pdf file 179kB)
Link to INFORSE's submission on Rio+20 website.

Preparation Rio+20 Conference: UNRISD, Geneva, October 10, 2011

INFORSE participated in the UNRISD conference ''Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Bringing Back the Social Dimension'' on October 10th, 2011. This event was a precursor to the Rio +20 scheduled for the beginning of June 2012.

The Conference had a strong attendance from the academic and NGO fields. Governmental and business sectors were noticably absent but that is to be expected. Though many of the studies and ideas put forward had an eery echoe from the Rio 1992 discussions, some progressively new positions were introduced. Lessons were learned from policies and implementations gone wrong or otherwise needing systemic alterations.

Predominently two things were made very clear: Local knowledge must be a prerequisite for any climate mitigation solution, and should ideally be sourced and maintained through stakeholder dialogues on a regular basis. Second, dominent socio-economic models that prevailed during the 20th century are clearly inadequate to deal with the challenges we now face. It is quite clear that the time for making unfilled promises needs to end abruptly.

All solutions must come equally from local ideas supported by strong regional, national and international policies--the so-called 'glocalization' movement. This is not the same as think global act local. Rather it is much more ambitious. It is more like act local and demonstrate various success stories, and this will in turn drive global decision-making to act.

Read Report from the Conference. (pdf file)

Read more on other Rio process conferences:
- Renewable Energy Conference, BIREC, 2005, Beijing, China
- Renewable'04 Conference, 2004, Bonn Germany
- WSSD, 2002, Johannesburg

The official conference sites:
- Rio +20 UNCSD, June 2012
- UNRISD, Geneva, October 10, 2011
- Rio Earth Summit 1992

Other Rio +20 Sites (unofficial):
- Earth Summit 2012.org
- Road to Rio Plus
- Youth Ideas